Bacon package



Jan. 12, 1954 F. w. SWANSON 2,665,993

BACON PACKAGE Filed April 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 12, 1954 F. W. SWANSON BACON PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 14, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BACON PACKAGE Fred W. Swanson, Park Ridge, 111. Application April 14, 1951, Serial No. 221,107

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a bacon package. The invention will be found to be applicable also to other uses.

For many years the packaging of bacon slices has presented a difficult problem. The bacon slice is a limp and fragile body which cannot be handled without diificulty and which, because of its greasy character, presents a problem of handling by the :housewife. When the thinlysliced bacon is taken from the package, it has a tendency to cling to the hands and breaks easily. Further, should the bacon slices be packaged in contact with each other, they have a great affinity for cohesive attraction and [it is extremely difficult to separate one slice from the other without tearing the slices. In packaging such slices, the limp character of the product tends to produce a package which is floppy and difiicult to handle unless a rigid support is employed therewith. The support is expensive, occupies valuable space in the refrigerating equipment, and serves no useful purpose after the package is opened.

An object of the present invention is to provide a package in which a rigid supporting memher is dispensed with while at the same time pro viding a bacon package which is stiff throughout and may be handled as readily as though the bacon were enclosed within a rigid box. Yet another object is to provide a bacon package in which separate leaves or paper strips provide a support for the bacon slices and may be, if desired, removed with the bacon slices to enable the bacon to be deposited therefrom directly into the skillet, etc. 'Yet another object is to provide a simple and inexpensive package support in which ordinary flexible and thin leaves are utilized in conjunction with the bacon slices themselves for forming a rigid and sturdy package, the leaves being removable with the bacon slices. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown in illustrative embodiments by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bacon book or package for securing the bacon slices into a steady rigid package embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view on an.-enlarged scale, the section being taken at line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective view of a bacon package of the character shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but with the perforations omitted; Fig. 4, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a perspective view of a modified form of package in which the leaves are arranged in a booklike arrangement; Fig. 6, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 6--6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a perspective View of a book arrangement forming a modified form of the invention and in which the leaves are .secured at spaced intervals upon a backing sheet; Fig. 8, a broken top plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a broken enlarged sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10, a longitudinal sectional View showing the package from which bacon has been removed from all but three pockets thereof.

In the illustration given in Figs. '1 to 4 inclusive, I provide a plurality of folded strips !0, the strips being brought together at their folded ends and secured by staples I l. Each of the folded strips Ill thus provides a pair of leaves l2 and the leaves l2 are spaced apart to PTO?" vide a pocket [3 receiving a bacon slice M. The strips l2 may be provided near their stapled ends with perforations IE to permit the strip 12 to be readily torn away, such perforations being shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or the strips may be intact throughout their length, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1 to l, it will be noted that there is provided along one side of the bacon slices a rigid stapled portion forming an anchor to which the leaves l2 are secured. At the same time, the bacon slices themselves, by reason of their greasy character, tend to cling to the leaves l2 and to unite the opposite leaves. In other words, the bacon slices themselves serve to unite the book leaves 12 so that there is a relatively rigid body connected to the stapled rigid portion running along one side of the pack. As a result of the tying of the leaves [2 together by the bacon slices and the anchoring of the sleeves along the stapled side, there is produced a rigid package which can be handled as effectively as a rigid wooden box. In actual practice, the book of bacon slices shown as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 is simply enclosed within a transparent bag or enclosure and no additional support is necessary. For the purpose of illustration, I have shown only a few slices secured 'within the book package but it will be understood that any desired number may be so packaged.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the folded strips l5a are arranged in a book form with the leaves I 6 thereof spaced apart as shown and the strips I 5a, Which are thus of varying size, are secured together by adhesive I! or other means. The leaves may be secured together by stitching and by a variety of means known in the art. Stitching and stapling means have been found to be of utility in a package of this sort in that they enable the strip which is to be torn ofi with the bacon slice to be severed more readily.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 7 to inclusive, I employ a rear sheet l8 to which separate leaves I9 are secured by adhesive 20 at spaced distances. This is shown in greater detail in Fig. 9. With this structure, the bacon slices 21 are brought into edge overlapping or "shingle relation, which is effective in displaying the lean edge of the bacon slices, while at the same time the bacon slices are utilized for securing together the paper sheets to the backing strip 18 and thus providing a relatively stiff and board-like sheet package.

In Fig. 7 the bacon is shown arranged in the shingle formation described. In Figs. 8 and 9 the bacon is removed. In Fig. 10, all of the bacon. is removed except the three slices at one end of the package.

While the invention has been illustrated in several different forms, it will be understood that many additional arrangements may be made to employ the bacon slices as an effective means for securing together flexible leaves or strips united along one edge and thus providing a stiff package.

In the operation of the structure, the bacon slices are placed between the leaves as illustrated in the drawings and the book of bacon slices thus formed may be enclosed within a plastic sheath or other covering and the bacon package thus put out for sale. The greasy bacon slices tend to unite the leaves of paper or other material and since the leaves are rigidly secured along one side, a sturdy stiff package is obtained.

When the package is received by the housewife and the covering is removed, the bacon slices may be separated from the package one by one if desired. If desired, the perforated leaves, shown in Fig. 1, may be torn away one by one, carrying with it a bacon slice, and the housewife may then strip off with a fork the slice from the leaf by which it is supported to cause the slice to fall unbroken into the skillet. If the leaves are not perforated, they may still be torn off and utilized thus as supporting means to enable the slices to be deposited, without breaking them, into a skillet. In the structure shown in Figs. '7 to 19 inclusive, the bacon slices may be drawn forwardly from between the book leaves, the leaves 19 permitting the slices to bethus withdrawn. If desired, the topmost leaf 19 may be folded back to expose the bacon sliced therebelow and the entire package may be held over the skillet so that each bacon slice may be drawn ofi the bacon and deposited directly into the skillet. It will be understood that the withdrawal of the bacon from the package may be accomplished in a variety of ways and that the package or the leaves thereof are utilized for keeping the bacon slices intact as they are withdrawn.

The new package not only increases the stability of the package, enabling flexible leaves to be employed with the bacon to form a relatively stiif package, but also the leaves of the package prevent the bacon strips from sticking to each .4 other, while also adding to the keeping qualities of the bacon. There is the further advantage in that the flexible leaves which are employed in conjunction with the bacon slices for forming a stiff package are effective as means for supporting the individual bacon slices by tearing the leaves from the package and utilizing them for supporting the bacon strip above the skillet from which it is slid onto the skillet.

In the illustration given, the leaves of the book have been secured by staples or other means along the sides of the leaves. It will be understood, however, that the leaves may, if desired,

be elongated and secured at one end by a single staple or other means and the bacon strips may then extend lengthwise of the leaves. In other words, instead of stapling or binding the sheets of the book along one side, the leaves may be elongated and bound atone end to present elongated leaves between which the bacon strips extend longitudinally.

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth specific embodiments in detail for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A bacon package, comprising a plurality of relatively thin separator leaves anchored together along one side and providing laterallyopening pockets for receiving bacon slices, said leaves being tearable along their sides, and bacon slices uniting pairs of said leaves.

2. A bacon package, comprising a plurality of thin separator leaves anchored together along one side and providing laterally-opening pockets for receiving bacon slices, said leaves being tearable along their sides, and bacon slices uniting pairs of said leaves, said leaves being provided with perforations along their anchored sides to permit their removal with slices of bacon.

3. A bacon package, comprising a plurality of relatively thin separator leaves anchored together along one side and providing laterallyopening pockets for receiving bacon slices, said leaves being tearable along their sides, and bacon slices uniting pairs of said leaves, said leaves being formed of book folds with the folded portions of the leaves secured together.

4. A relatively stiff bacon package for supporting bacon slices in edge overlapping relation, comprising a backing sheet, flexible elongated separator leaves secured to said backing sheet at spaced distances to provide stepped pockets, and bacon slices between said leaves and spaced apart from each other while exposing edge portions of the bacon, said bacon slices by engagement with the leaves contacting the same serving to unite said leaves to form a stiff package.

FRED W. SWANSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 900,714 Eberhart Oct. 13, 1908 1,971,607 Haines Aug. 28, 1934 2,050,308 Gash Aug. 11, 1936 2,466,191 Weisman Apr. 5, 1949 2,509,450 Reed et al. May 30, 1950 2,555,033 Harris May 29, 1951 

1. A BACON PACKAGE, COMPRISING A PLURALITY RELATIVELY THIN SEPARATOR LEAVES ANCHORED TOOPENING POCKETS FOR RECEIVING BACON SILCES, SAID LEAVES BEING TEARABLE ALONG THEIR SIDES, AND BACON SLICES UNITING PAIRS OF SAID LEAVES. 